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B. BLOCK. GUTLERY GRINDING MACHINE.

No. 575,562. Patented Jan. 19, 1897.

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' (No Model.) 4'Sheets Sheet 2.

B. BLOCK. QUTLERY GRINDING MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 19, 1897.

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' B. BLOCK.

GUTLERY GRINDING MACHINE.

No. 575,552. P 55 555 Jan. 19, 1897.

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B. BLOCK. OUTLERY GRINDING; MACHINE.

' N0. 575,562. Patented Jan. 19', 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERTHOLD BLOCK, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SYLVAN E. BIER,OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CUTLERY-GRINDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,562, dated January19, 1897.

Applica,tin fil d December 24, 1895. Serial No. 573,184. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern: more toward one edge than the other, so asto Be it known that I, BERTHOLD BLOCK, a secure the desired taper to theblade both citizen of the United States, and a resident of from the rearto the front edge and from the New Rochelle, in the county ofWestchester handle to the tip. All this grinding, how- 5 and State ofNew York, have made certain ever, is practically level, as compared withnew and useful Improvements in Cutlerythe surface of the grinder, sothat the differ- Grinding Machines, of which the following is ence inthe mechanical operation consists in a specification. the means forpresenting and sustaining the The object of my invention is to provide aarticle to be ground and not in the angle of Io grinding-machine forknives, scissors, and presentation. In simple sharpening, on the otherarticles of cutlery and similar things other hand, the angle ofpresentation bewherebyaconsiderable number of such things comes theimportant feature. I accomplish can be treatedrapidly and effectively,inthese objects byconstructing a grinding-ma stead of requiring theindividual treatment chine which has a properlysupported revolv- 6 5- 15under hand guidance, as has heretofore been ing grinder, which may be ofa Width the full the case. Grindstones driven by power have length ofthe blade to be ground or less, if been heretofore employed, theoperative holddesired. In some cases there is an advantage ing the toolto be sharpened or ground against. in having it of greater width thansaid length. the grinding-surface. Sharpening-machines It contains, ofcourse, proper mechanism for 20 wherein a number of knives may besharpimparting the desired revolution to said ened have also beenemployed. grinder and in the case of a narrow grinder The problemsofgrindingand polishing and means for reciprocating or oscillating said ofsimple sharpening are quite distinct from grinder laterally, so thatevery portion of the each other and need quite different mechansurfaceto be ground may be reached. In ta- 2 5 ism and adaptation of means tothe desired ole-knives the blade generally rounds out toend. This arisesfrom the fact that in sharpward the bolster, and it is thereforedesirable ening the blade of a knife, chisel, scissors, to have theedges of the grinder correspondor other tool only the edge on one orboth ingly rounded. sides has to be treated, while in grinding and Thisgrinding-machineis also supplied with 3o polishing the entire surfacehas to be reduced mechanism for moistening the grinder and to give theblade the desired configuration the knives, and the latter are carriedon a and thickness, as Well as to prepare its surtransversely-channeledtraveling bed, which face for plating by the electrodeposition of ismoved by suitable mechanism under the silver or other metal. grindercontinuously or intermittently, ac- 3 5 My invention, while applicableto the simcording to the character of the grinding-surpler forms ofgrinding and polishing where face. Where the grinder is of full Width,the the thing to be ground has previously almost motion of the bed maybe continuous, as the acquired its desired shape and polish, is morewhole surface of the knife-blade is acted on particularly intended forthe treatment of at once, and no lateral motion of the grinder otable-knives recently forged. \Vhen such is necessary. Where thegrinding-surface is knives come from the forge, they are rough, lessthan full width, lateral motion becomes unsightly, and with little or nosharpness, necessary, andthe motion of the traveling bed andconsequently are considerably thicker is therefore intermittent. thandesired for use. Such knives, speaking If the problem were simply thatof sharp- 45 generally, are of two kindsthose in which ening, thesuccessive knife-blades might be the blades are too thick, but alreadytapered rigidly held at the desired angle; but as the to an approximateedge, and those which are problem involves the reduction to a predeofsubstantially uniform thickness. The fortermined point ofirregularly-roughened surmer have to be uniformly reduced by grindfacesthe knife-blade cannot be rigidly pre- 10o 5o ing until the desiredpolish and sharpness sented, but must have a sufficient yielding aresecured. The latter have to be reduced pressure to enable the grinder toaccommodate itself to the varying conditions presented by the successiveknives or the successive portions of the same knife.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated two convenient ways ofimparting this yielding pressure to the knifeblade and have shown themachine as mechanically adapted to the grinding of table-knives. Theprinciples therein illustrated can readily be applied to the treatmentof scissors, chisels, and other tools which have to be ground andpolished without departing from the spirit of my invcntion.

Figure l is a top plan. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an endview. Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail of the knife as arranged in thetraveling bed. Fig. 5 is a section on line yy of Fig. 4-. Fig. 6 is asection on line .2 z of Fig. 5. Figs. '7, S, 9, and 10 show differentforms of the knife-clamping device. Fig. 11 is a perspective view ofpart of the traveling bed. Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate a modification ofthe way of clamping the knives.

Same letters indicate similar parts in the different figures.

A is the frame of the machine.

13 is the traveling bed, adapted to move on the tracks a a under theoperation of the worm-shaft I).

O is the driving-pulley, operated by belting from a source of power.(Not shown.) This pulley is mounted on the driving-shaft c, whichcarries the beveled gear dand is journaled in the framework. This gearmeshes with the beveled gear d, which is mounted on the worm-shaft I),also journ aled in the framework and operating the traveling bed B, asbefore stated. This traveling bed is provided with a series oftransverse channels D, separated from each other by the partitions c eand preferably simple straight channels somewhat wider than theknife-blade which is to be inserted therein.

E E show a series of table-knives of ordinary construction inserted inthe machine ready to be ground and polished.

G is the grindstone, provided with the usual cover F (see Fig. 2) andmounted on the arms ff by the shaft g. Revolution is imparted to thisgrindstone through the pulleys 7L h (see Fig. 3) on the ends of theshaft the same being connected by belting with a source of power. (Notshown.) The arms ff, and through them the grindstone, are supported bythe frame II, secured to the framework of the machine A, and preferablyin such a manner that they may be caused to travel laterally, whendesired. The means which I have shown for this purpose are theworm-screw Z, journaled in the framework II and turned by the handle K,said worm-screw being threaded through the block L, to which said armsff are rigidly attached.

The block, and with it the grindstone, may be raised and lowered, ifdesired, by the ham dwheel M in any usual and convenient manner, such asthe worm-screw m, (see Fig. 3,) which is threaded through a suitablebearing (not shown) in the frame ll.

As before stated, the edges of the grindstone G are preferably roundedoff to adapt it to grind the portion of the blade next the bolster.

N is a pump by means of which a water spray (see Fig. 3) may bedischarged through the pipe at and spraying device P upon the bladesbeing ground immediately behind the grindstone. This situation of thespraying device enables the operator to keep the machine from gettingclogged by the particles of emery-dust formed during the grindingprocess.

As before stated, the knives should be inserted in the channels D andheld therein in such a way as to present a substantially levelgrinding-surface to the grinder and yet have sufficient power ofyielding to enable the grinding to adapt itself to the different kindsof work required. The details of two forms of such yielding support willnow be described.

I have found that the most effective way of placing the knives in thechannels is to have the knives attached to 'a spring-cushioned chuck ofsuitable size and shape before they are put in the channel, so that theknife and its corresponding chuck may be placed in and removed from thechannel as a unit. In this construction the chuck R (see Fig. 4) is apiece of wood, metal, or other suitable materialof about the length andwidth of the channel and so adapted in its height at various portionsthat the knife-blade will project above the partitions e e the requireddistance forsatisfactorygrindingandpolishing. This chuck is hollowed outat one end, as shown at r, Fig. 10, so as to receive the bolster s, Fig.I, of the knife-handle, and is provided with a clamp t, secured theretoby the removable screw r, Fig. or bolt and nut 10 to, Fig. 10.

It will be readily seen that by turning the clamp t over the bolster ofthe knife-handle the knife may be firmly secured to the springcushionedchu ck R without affecting the natural springiness of the blade.Further, not to interfere with the natural springiness of the blade thesurface of the chuck is hollowed out, as shown at 0, Fig. 4.

As before stated, that portion of the upper surface of the chuck onwhich the blade is to rest must be adapted to conform to the variousthicknesses of the knife-blade. The blade being thinner toward the tipthan toward the bolster it follows that the surface of the chuck mustapproach the top of the partitions, dividing the channels more closelyat the inner than at the outer end. As the back of the blade is thickerat all points than the edge it follows that the surface of the chuck onthe corresponding side should be lower than on the knife-edge side. Thisis true whether the chuck is to be used for a knife-blade which isalready shaped or one of uniform thickness which requires to be shapedin the grinding. The divergence of lines is clearly shown in Figs. 5 and6, the right-hand channel in the latter figure containing a knife andthe left-hand one not, the side for the knife-edge and the top of thewall for the back of the blade being substantially on the same level.

The under side of the chuck is hollowed out, as shown in Fig. 6, so asto receive a spring-cushion, by means of which the upper surface of theknife-blade is held up against the grinder with a yielding pressurederived from the bottom of the channel. This spring-cushion may be ablock of rubber T, Fig. 6, or a spiral spring or any other convenientform of spring cushion. The sides of the chuck may be slotted, as shownat t, Fig. 7, and a metal block T, provided below the cushion with pinst engaging with said slot, or the cushion may be connected with thechuck in some other convenient manner.

The clamping device before described may, if desired, be detachablyconnected with the chuck, as shown in Figs. 5, '7, 8, and 9, instead ofrigidly attached by means of the screws 75 i A rigid attachment,however, will ordinarily be sufficient, as the chuck can readily be madestrong enough not to break at that point.

It will be readily seen that by associating the knife and thespring-cushioned chuck together before putting them in the machine thetime of changing knives is diminished to the time necessary to pull oneknife out and to thrust another knife into the channel.

.A simpler form of chuck, but one which is not designed for attachmentto the knife before insertion in the machine, is shown in Figs. 12 and13. The chuck R is a simple piece of wood, metal, or other suitablematerial properly shaped on its upper surface to meet the requirementsof grinding, as before explained, and is of proper length and width toslip into the channel, where it rests upon the spring-cushion, which inthis case is not necessarily attached to the chuck, but rests upon thebottom of the channel. The cushion might be dispensed with,but the workwould not be as satisfactory either in result or in time consumed. Inthis simpler form of chuck the chuck remains in the channel and theknife only is removed and replaced, and I therefore provide anindividual clamp for each knife, which secures the handle to the beditself instead of to the chuck.

WV, Fig. 11, is a retaining-bar which partially covers or closes theopen ends of the channels D at both ends and serves the double purposeof preventing the chucks from working out of the channels in operationand of strengthening the partitions. This bar preferably leaves an openspace below it for the water and grit to work out of the channels anddoes not reach the top of the partition, as a certain space is necessaryfor the up-and-down play of the chuck and to allow for the thickness ofthe knife-handle.

Although, for the sake of clearness, the knives are shown in thedrawings with their handles projecting all one way, it is evident thatthe knife will be inserted from the right or left side, according to theside of the blade which is to be ground. Economy in grinding can beeffected by arranging the knives in pairs, so that the right and leftsides of adjacent knives are ground simultaneously.

An advantage of having the grindstone oscillate during its revolution isfound in the better finish of the knife, as such oscillation smooths outthe marks which would be left by straight grinding.

In grinding, the knives should be so placed that the grinding takesplace from the edge to the back. The back of the blade, therefore,shouldbe supported against the tendency of the pressure from thegrindstone to force it out of line. I therefore provide a shoulder q,Fig. 6, on that side of the chuck, against which the back of the blademay rest. If this shoulder is omitted, the knife will have to be placedupon the chuck in such a way that the back will be supported laterallyby the partition between the channels.

I claim 1. A grinding-machine for knives, cutlery and similar articles,which consists of a revolving grinder, mechanism for impartingrevolution thereto and mechanism for supplying moisture thereto, atransversely-channeled traveling bed, spring-cushioned chucks insertedin said channels adapted to receive and support the articles to beground in such way as to present a full grinding-surface to said grinderand mechanism for feeding said bed under said grinder, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

2. A grinding-machine for knives, cutlery and similar articles, whichconsists of a revolving grinder, mechanism for imparting revolutionthereto and mechanism for supplying moisture thereto, atransversely-channeled traveling bed, spring-cushioned chucks suitablyfitted to the shape of the blade of the article to be ground and adaptedto be secured to said article and to be inserted in said channels and tohold said article therein in such way as to present a fullgrinding-surface thereof to said grinder and mechanism for feeding saidbed under said grinder, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a knife-grinding machine, a springcushioned chuck provided withdevices for securing the article to be ground thereto and provided witha level surface for supporting the edge of the article to be ground anda shoulder, against which the back of the blade is supported and withthe upper surface of said chuck hollowed out below said shoulder, so asto present a tapering surface lengthwise of said chuck, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

4. In a knife-grinding machine, a springcushioned chuck provided Withdevices for said chuck on each side of said hollow being securing thearticle to be ground thereto and substantially at the same level,substantially the top of which is hollowed out to receive a as describedand for the purposes specified.

portion of the blade of the article to be ground BERTIIOLD BLOCK. insuch way as to taper at one edge from tip Witnesses:

to bolster and form a Wall, against which the SYLVAN E. BIER,

back of the blade can rest; the surface of W. P. PREBLE, Jr.

